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Sunday, July 18, 2010

Review: Deception

Book: Deception by Lee Nichols Series or Stand-Alone: Haunting Emma, Book #1Description:When Emma Vaile's parents leave on mysterious business trip, it gives her the perfect excuse to be a rebellious teen. Throw some parties, get a tattoo (or maybe just a piercing), and enjoy the first few weeks of her junior year. Then her best friend stops talking to her, the cops crash her party, and Emma finds herself in the hands of a new guardian—her college-age "knight in J.Crew armor," Bennett Stern—and on a plane to his museum-like mansion in New England.

After enrolling at Thatcher Academy, Emma settles in by making friends with the popular legacy crowd. But she can't shake the strange visions that are haunting her. She has memories of Thatcher she can't explain, as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Emma doesn't trust anyone anymore—except maybe Bennett. But he's about to reveal a ghostly secret to Emma. One that will explain the visions . . . and make Emma fear for her life.

So, Deception was my first official ghost story. I have never really gotten into ghosts, but deception was not just your run of the mill ghost story. The story centers around Emma, who comes from a long line of ghostkeepers. However, she isn't just a typical ghostkeeper - she can talk to ghosts, expel them and then call them as well. When the story begins Emma is whisked away to live with a family friend, and her crush Bennett. This book, by debut young adult author Lee Nichols, was extremely well written and fun to follow. It took awhile for me to warm up to Emma as a character; but I eventually took to her. I also enjoyed the rest of characters and I am excited to see where the next book takes them. The world in which this story takes place was intricately planned and developed; I especially loved Emma's visions. The ending involved one heck of a plot twist and I cannot wait to find out what happens to Emma and Bennett in the second book. I think, thanks to books like this, we will be seeing a new wave of young adult ghost stories.